First, I can tell that this TV show is definitively not the version you are expecting - which means Edgar Rice Byrroughs's classic version of Tarzan or a version that Johnny Weissmuller is dressed in loincloth and swinging in the jungle and fighting crocodiles - this TV show is instead a new, modern version of the Tarzan mythology. The jungle lord is updated, which was a real risk the WB network took, and moved him from the Kongo jungle to the skyscrapers of New York. What we get is surprisingly an entirely new Tarzan mythology, and what surprised the more is that it is extremely good.
Tarzan aka John Clayton grew up in the Kongo Jungle but after getting caught and escaped those who caught him, he now climbs skyscrapers and hides himself from his uncle, the head of Greystoke Industries, who got him shot and caught in the Kongo jungle, meanwhile he helps victims that are attacked by criminals. Jane is also not the typical heroine that we know from the old mythology - she is now a strong and beautiful and brown haired NYC police detective, who (unsurprisingly) finds herself increasingly drawn to the mysterious and dangerous Tarzan. The writers again took another risk to let Tarzan's dark side show through, making the TV show more intensely, different and more thrilling. This Tarzan is handling two different sides of himself - the one with violence and anger and the next one helping innocent people or protecting his loving one, Jane. But, some of his violent actions while protecting Jane often result in putting Jane in danger. In fact, much of the story is recognized from the old mythology - the New york jungle is most likely like the Congo jungle, what makes it different is that it is located in New York and is taken place in a modern time - and it makes it good.
And what's more good with this TV show is that the stars are more or less unknown actors. Travis Fimmel (plays Tarzan) is an Australian ex Calvin Klein model, Sarah Wayne Callies (plays Jane) is another newcomer. And hey, both actors are really better than I expected, and actually, they managed to give the love between Tarzan and Jane the same feeling that I had when I read the novels or watched the earlier versions of Tarzan. But even though there is no kiss here, they manage to have some powerful scenes that, instead of a dialogue, tells their love by a glance here and a blush there. Even though it may be strange, it works. Also, Fimmel impresses by doing most of his stunts himself, making it look like he is a real jungle boy, and he also manages to make his Tarzan strong, proud, having a child's innocence and always battles for what he believes is right. That's really impressing for a new coming actor.
Other stars are Lucy Lawless, Mitch Pileggi and Miguel A Nunez Jr that also give their great skills in great supporting roles. Lucy plays an important role - as Tarzan's smart aunt Kathleen, Pileggi is really the perfect candidate to take on Uncle Richard (who wants to catch Tarzan by every price) and Nunez, whose lines are surely the best the best in this show, plays Jane's partner, Sam Sullivan.
The only negative part with this TV show is that there are only 8 episodes, but although it's so, each episode always improves something new and thrilling, either in Jane and Sam's hunting villains or in the romance between Tarzan and Jane, and always improves upon the last.
I highly recommend this TV show as it is worth watching, especially if you appreciate great dialogue, good plenty of action and two interesting characters that are fighting both to stay out or stay with each other through the TV show.
Tarzan aka John Clayton grew up in the Kongo Jungle but after getting caught and escaped those who caught him, he now climbs skyscrapers and hides himself from his uncle, the head of Greystoke Industries, who got him shot and caught in the Kongo jungle, meanwhile he helps victims that are attacked by criminals. Jane is also not the typical heroine that we know from the old mythology - she is now a strong and beautiful and brown haired NYC police detective, who (unsurprisingly) finds herself increasingly drawn to the mysterious and dangerous Tarzan. The writers again took another risk to let Tarzan's dark side show through, making the TV show more intensely, different and more thrilling. This Tarzan is handling two different sides of himself - the one with violence and anger and the next one helping innocent people or protecting his loving one, Jane. But, some of his violent actions while protecting Jane often result in putting Jane in danger. In fact, much of the story is recognized from the old mythology - the New york jungle is most likely like the Congo jungle, what makes it different is that it is located in New York and is taken place in a modern time - and it makes it good.
And what's more good with this TV show is that the stars are more or less unknown actors. Travis Fimmel (plays Tarzan) is an Australian ex Calvin Klein model, Sarah Wayne Callies (plays Jane) is another newcomer. And hey, both actors are really better than I expected, and actually, they managed to give the love between Tarzan and Jane the same feeling that I had when I read the novels or watched the earlier versions of Tarzan. But even though there is no kiss here, they manage to have some powerful scenes that, instead of a dialogue, tells their love by a glance here and a blush there. Even though it may be strange, it works. Also, Fimmel impresses by doing most of his stunts himself, making it look like he is a real jungle boy, and he also manages to make his Tarzan strong, proud, having a child's innocence and always battles for what he believes is right. That's really impressing for a new coming actor.
Other stars are Lucy Lawless, Mitch Pileggi and Miguel A Nunez Jr that also give their great skills in great supporting roles. Lucy plays an important role - as Tarzan's smart aunt Kathleen, Pileggi is really the perfect candidate to take on Uncle Richard (who wants to catch Tarzan by every price) and Nunez, whose lines are surely the best the best in this show, plays Jane's partner, Sam Sullivan.
The only negative part with this TV show is that there are only 8 episodes, but although it's so, each episode always improves something new and thrilling, either in Jane and Sam's hunting villains or in the romance between Tarzan and Jane, and always improves upon the last.
I highly recommend this TV show as it is worth watching, especially if you appreciate great dialogue, good plenty of action and two interesting characters that are fighting both to stay out or stay with each other through the TV show.
